Latch



July 5' 1927' F. M. vANDERvooRT LATCH Filed sept. 13.91925 Alfa r.. M eu n Patented duly 5, 1927.

UNITED STATES l y1,634,637 PATENT ori-fics. i

FRANCIS ivi. vANnnRvoonT, antemano, Cononnno, AssieNon 'ro THE lrosrrivnLOCK COMPANY, or renato; CoLonADd'fi AConroe-.finirion or Cononrino.

LATCH.

Application filed September This invention relates to latches;particularly to latches adapted tor use on automobiles or othervehicles. Although latches embodying the invention take account of andmeet the exacting requirements of service peculiar to latches used onautomobiles and although, for purposes of illustration, a latchen'ibodying the invention is shown and described as used on anautomobile, it is to be clearly understood that such use is only oneotmany uses to which latches embodying the invention may be put. It isalso to be understood that the lterm latch used throughout thespecilication and claims includes bot-hV latch and lock constructions.

An objectief this invention is to provide a latch of simple constructionwhich will permit the door or other closuie member to which the latch isattachedto be easily closed, the latch firmly holding the closure memberin closed or latched position without substantially any rattling ot thevclosure member or of the latch parts.

lt also an object ot the invention tov provide a latch which will notonly prevent substantially all rattling of the latch parts and closuremember when the parts are new' and care-hilly fitted, but also toprevent substantially all rattling of these parts even it they arepoorly fitted or worn and trained from long usage,

`lther objects and 'features oft construction will be apparent trom thefollowing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawingswhich illustrate a typical construction embodying the principles of theinvention. In these drawings,

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of a latch and cooperating` keeperembodying the-invention, shown in the position the parts occupy whenmounted on the door and door jainb, respectively, ot an automobile,parts of the door and door jamb being indicated by dotted lines;

F is an yend view of the latch and its cooperating keeper, looking tothe right of Fig. l; v'

Fir

lli-g. 1 looking in the direction of the arrows;

3 is a sectional view taken on the line g. t is an end view ot the latchonly,

13, 1923. Serial No. 652,466.

jecting therefrom, and latching means mov-- longitudinally projected andretracted, said latclimember provided with an inclined portion adaptedto engage the inclined portion otfsaid abutment member when the latchmember is projected to spread said members apart and wedge them againstsubstantially all lateralmovement in a cooperating" keeper. Y

Referring to the drawings, indicates generally the latch mounting orcasing which may be of any suitable or desired shape to support theparts of vthe latch. In theexample'illustrated, mounting 10 comprises abase plate 11 provided with apertures 12 to receive screws or othersuitable fastening devices for securing the latch casing to the door,indicated in dotted lines at D. Plate 11 is provided `at one end with anintegral angular extension '13 forming the front 'face of the latchcasing or mounting and arranged to lie iiush with the free vedge ot thedoor. he 'extension or front plate 13 is provided with an aperture 14attord a passage orthe latching means B therethrough. A housing plate 15is secured .to the base platel 11 by any suitable means to iormtherewith a housing or chamber for supporting and guiding the latchingmeans and its associated mechanism.

The bolt B is supported for longitudinal .and lateral movement bythecasing indicated generally bywlO. Bolt B may be of any suitable ordesired contruction, but. the construction illustrated is preferredbecause ot its lightness, comparative strength, and because' such aconstruction can be easily and cheaplymade of' stamped sheet metal. Asillust-rated, the bolt Br is U or channelshaped, having a web portion 16and depending flanges 17 and 18. The bolt is supported tor slidingmovement in the latch casing, oneend passing through aperture 14 inA thetrout plate v13 and normally projecting from the front plate or frontend of the latch. rllhe `front or projecting end of the boltis'roundedat 19 and is adapted to strike a keeper plate indicated generally by..f' or plate et substantially thereof.

40 abutment mean 21. which normally projects the bolt from the casing. l

rlrssociated with the bolt B and cooperating therewith to hold the boltagainst substantially alllateral n'iovement when the bolt io-isprojected is an abutment means or plate 22. This abutment plate or bar22 is supported in the latch casii'ig against longitudinal movement. Cueend ot the abutment passes through aperture l/lin trent plate l-l `andpermai'iei'itly projects from the front face or end of the latch casing.Although the abutmei'it means may lake any suitable or desired form, theerm illustrated is preferred. Abutment means 22 comprises a bar the sameWidth as the distance between the sides or flanges 17 and 18 of the boltB, the abutment means being mounted between said flanges or sides.

The projecting or outer end 23 of abutmentv means 22 is slightly reducedin Width 'for a purpose to befexplained hereafter. The .rear or innerend of the abutment means 22 is bent to provide a substantially rightangular eX- tension or lug 24 which engages the rear or :io inner end etthe housing plate 15 and is held in engagement therewith by a tongue orlug 25 bent or struck out from base plate ll. The abutment member orplate 22 has a slot or recess 26 extending longitudinall),y

One end of the slot or recess 2 6 terminates adjacent the lug 24 of theabutment means and the other or outer end or" the slot or recessterminates in an angular tongue or inclined portion 27 formed integralWith the Slot or recess 2G terms a guide or support tor spring 217 oneend ot the spring engaging' the lug 24 of the abutment means and theother end ot' the spring engaging an integral tongue or lug 28projecting from the bolt B, tongue or lug 28 projecting into the slot orrecess 2G. n

The bolt B is provided With means adapted to co-operate with meanscarried by the abutment means to hold the bolt, abutment means andoperating means of the latch against rattling when the bolt isprojected. Bolt B is provided With an inclined or beveled portion 29which is adapted to engage the correspondingly inclined or beveled porlVlion 2?' of the abutment means when the bolt .is projected to move boththe bolt and thc abutment means laterally and thereby clamp thesemembers against lateral movement both in the latch casing and in thekeeper means.

GU The web portion lr6 ot the bolt B is provider.

U5 the bolt engages inclined portion 27 of the eral moven'ient or sepa.sired to open the door7 retracting abutment ine.- bolt and ab 'fromeach other `with the .projL pivot points.

'the abutment means cooperates Twith. the late-hing` means to engagewithin and in the keeper means :5o tl relative movement ot these parteorefented, leeper 2O comprises a liat plate provided with holes 00 t0l'eCeie ing nieans vtor sciuringtlie plate to the door jamb fl. ,Plate20 has a beveledror cam portion 3l to cooperate withy the rounded endlf) ot the holt and assist in sliding the bolt into the casing when thebolt strikes the keeper as the door is moved to closed position. Keeperplate 2l) is also provided with a recess b2 to receive bolt B, therecess beinggenerally tl or trouglrshaped to conformV substantially totlc contour et the bolt B, Leading from the beveled edge et the keeper Vplate and connecting' with recess 32 is an opening or vpassaige 33 justWide enough to allor.v pas agent the reduced end 23 ot' the abutmentmeans, but too small to allenT pas ot the bolt. TWhen the door is swungto cl se it7 the rounded end 19 ot the bolt B5 which projects from thel'ree'edge ot the door, strilres the beveled portion 3i et the keeperplate and is thereby slid cr pushed into the latch casing against thetension ot spring 2l tending to project the bolt. rllie pern'ianentlyprojecting abutment means pasrfses through the opening or passage S55and enters the recess or opening 32 in the keeper and strikes against orengages'the edge 3l ot the recess At er shortly betore the time abutment22 engages edge Eel the retracted bolt B had ridden over the surface otthe keeper plate icent pass and has entered the enlarged recess formedto receive the bolt. ris the bolt is projected into this recess by theactionA of spring 2l, the beveled or inclined portion 2S) strikes thecorrespondingly inclined or beveled portion 27 ot the abutment means totorce means apart and into engagement with the edges of recess 32. As j.'eviously explained recess in the lreeper plate 20 conforms generallylo the contour ot bolt E, so When the bolt engages in this recess therounded corners 161 ot the bolt are i'irmly clen'iped against therounded edges 321 et the recess t all lateral nieve- 1 he l.; andabutment means also :forces these mee* into engagement with the casingto thug these i'neans against rattling the c:

In orderto release the bolt trom e-we ment with the lsteeper means whenit neans provided. The retracting means in the present instancecomprises a cam or the abutment means and latchingA llo , ineens? back epivoted at 36 to baci; plate 11, the roll back being provided with camportions 37 Which engage in slots or notches 38 provided in the flangesor side portions 17 and 18 of bolt B. 'lt will thus be seen that theroll back is mounted betiveen lthe flanges i or sides of the bolt and asthe 'roll back is turned by suitable handle means (not shown) engagingin the square aperture 39 of tie roll back, the cam portions 37 lwillengage the bolt to retract the saine. It Will be ob served as shoivn inFig. 3 that when the bolt is wedged in the keeper recess, the bolt isnot fully projected and that the lug 2 8 is 'i lt is to be understoodthat the invention is not limited to the exact arrangement illus#Vtrated and described and it will be obvious to those skilled in the artthat'various modilications inshape and arrangement of partsy can be madeWithout departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims. n

What is claimed is:

1. A latch comprising abutment means, and latching means movablelongitudinally and laterallyv with respect to said yabutment means. Y

2. A latch comprising abutmentv means, and latchinpj means adapted to beprojected and retracted independently rof Vsaid, abutment means, saidlatching means moving said abutment. means laterally. thereof when thelatching means is projected. Y

3. A latch comprising abutment means, and latching means movablelongitudinally with respect to said abut-ment means, said abutment.means and latching means movable laterally of each other.

4. A latch comprising abutment means,

i and latching means movable longitudinally with respect to saidabutment meanssaid latchintg` means formed to provide means for fmoving'said latching means and said abutmeans projecting therefrom` andlatching means adapted to be projected and retracted independently ofsaid abutment means, said bitching means moving said abutment meanslaterally thereof when the latching means is projected.

7.' A latch comprising a casing, abutment means projecting therefrom,and latching iiiean's movable longitudinally ivitlr'res'pect to saidabutment ineans,said abutment means and latching means movablelaterally'of each pas# l SA latch con'iprising a casing, abutment meansprojecting tlieiefrom,"aiid latching 'means movable longitudinally ivithrespect tosaid abutment means, said latching means lft'ormed t"`pi'ovidemeans for moving said latching means and said abutment means laterallyof @zich Other- 9. Ilatch comprising a casing, an abutment memberpermanently projecting from said casing. andl ai latching member adapted'to bel projected and retracted, projection ofAv the latch membercausing separation ofthe abutment and latch members.

10. A latch comprising a part held against substantially alllongitudinal moyement'but free to move laterally, and a parti freeY tomove longitudinallyfandlaterally, one of said parts engaging the otherpart to move both parts laterally. y i

11. A latch comprising a casing, a member permanently projecting fromsaid casing. ka member normally projecting from faid casing adapted tobe retracted into said casing", relative longitudinal movement of ysaidmembers causing'relative lateral moven ment of said members.

y12. A latch comprising a casing, tivo members projecting from saidcasing and normally forced apart,'longitudinal movement of one of saidmembers relative to the other allovvingsaid members to move toward eachother. y

13. A latch comprising a casing. latcliing lmeans normally projectingfrom s. yid'casing, and means permanently projecting from said casingadapted to clamp said latching` means against lateral. movement when thelatching means is projected. l

14. A latch comprising a casing` latcliing means normally projectingfrom said casing, and abutment means permanently pro jecting from saidcasing, longitudinal more ment o-f said latching .means causing lateralmovement of said abutment means and. latehing means.

15. A latch comprisingv a casing, latchinp;

means adapted to be projected and retracted longitudinally, and abutmentmeans permanently projecting from said casing and nievable laterally ofsaid latchingmeans.

16. The combination, with keeper means, of Vnormally projecting latchingmeans, and permanently' projecting abutment means, said latching` andabutment means movable Vlaterally Within the keeper means to Wedge' saidlatch-.ing and abutment means against movement in the keeper means.

17. The combination, with keeper means,

of normally projecting latching means, said latchingV means movablelongitudinally to engage Within the keeper means, and permanentlyprojecting abutment means adapted to engage Within the keeper means,said latching means provided With means to Wedge the latching andabutment means apart and thereby clamp the latcliing and abutment meansagainst lateral movement in the keeper means.

18. The combination, with keeper means, of normally projecting latchingmeans longitudinally retracted and then projected to engage Within thekeeper means, and permanently projecting' abutment means adapted toengage Within the keeper means. said latchiirg` and abutment meansmovable laterally relatively to each other to clamp said latehingl andabutment means against lateral movement in the keeper means.

19. The combination, with keeper means, of normally projecting'latchingmeans, provided with a rounded end, adapted to be longitudinallyprojected and retracted, said latchinp; means beine," retracted when therounded end ot said latching means strikes said keeper means and thenprojected Within the keeper means, and permanently pro-jecting abutmentmeans engaging Within the keeper means and cooperating with thelatcliing means to hold the same against rattling Within the keepermeans.

20. The combination, with keeper means, of abutment means adapted toengage said keeper means, and latchinp; means movable longitudinally andlaterally ol said abutment means.

21. A latch comprising longitudinally evtendingabutment means, andlatching means movable longitudinally and laterally ot said abutmentmeans.

22. A latch comprising a casing, abutment means secured againstlongitudinal movement in said casing and projecting` theretrom, andlatching means provided with means eng'agingsaid abutment means to forcethe abutment and latching means away from each other. i

23. A latch comprising a casing, an abutment member supported a `trainstlongitudinal movement by said casing and projecting theretrom, and alatch member adapted to be longitudinally projected and retracted, .saidlatch member provided with means adapted to engage said abutment memberWhen the lntchine` member is projected to spread said members apart.

24. A latch comprising a casina', an abutment member, provided with aninclined portion, projecting from said casing, and a latch memberadapted to be longitudinally projected and retracted, said latch memberprovided with an inclined portion adapted to engage said inclinedportion ot said abutment member ivlien the latch member is proheldagainst longitudinal movement but 'tree to movey laterally,l and alongitudinally and laterally movable bolt adapted to engage saidabutment and move it laterally.

Q6. A latch comprising a casing, abutment means projecting therefrom,latcliing means movable longitudinally and laterally with respect tosaid abutment means, means normally projecting` said bitching means, andmeans i'oi retracting said latcliing means.

2T. A keeper comprisingY a ilat plate having a beveled portion andprovided with a reentrant opening leading from one edge of the keeper,the interior portion ot' said opening` bein;r enlarged.

A keeper comprilingY a ifi-at plate havinn a bent portion and aicentrant opening having a (.onstricted mouth leading from the bent edgeoi the keeper.

29. The combination, with a keeper provided with a bevelol portion and arecess, ot abutnic ins adapted to enter the 1"@- and normally projectingie ne i .apted to strike the beveled portion otsaid keeper, saidlatching means lei'ig retracted `by Contact with said keeper theirproiected into said recess.

3( The combination, with a keeper provided ivith a reentrant recessleading from one edge ot' permanently projecting abutment means adaptedto enter said recess without retraction, and normally projectinglatcliinpv means ot a size too large to enter the mouth oic said recess,but small enough to enter the reentrant portion of said recess, seidlatching means adapted to be retracted by Contact with said keeper andthen Vprojected into the reentrant portion` projection of said latching`means causing lateral movement ot the abutment means and latching meansWithin the keeper.

31. A latch comprising abutment means, latcliingmeans, means normallyprojecting said latcliing means and means for retracting saidlatching'in-eans, said latcliinn` means provided with means engagingsaid abutment means when the latcliing means is projected to force saidabutment means against said retracting meansA and hold the same againstrattling.

32. A latch comprising' a casing, a channel-shaped bolt provided With arounded end normally projecting` 'from saidrcasing, said bolt providedwith an inclined portion intermediate its ends, and an abutment memberprovided with an inclined portion intermediate its ends and projectingfrom said casing, the inclined portions ot said bolt and abutment memberengaging each other when the bolt is projected to force tlie bolt andabutn'ient member apart.

33. n. latch comprising a casing, a channel-Shaped bolt having a webportion and depending` flanges, said bolt provided with a rounded endportion normally projected from said casing, said bolt provided With aninclined portion and a` projectinfr lug or tongue intermediate its ends,an abutmentmember mounted between the flanges ot said bolt andpermanently projecting from Said. casing'7 said abutment member providedwith a longitudinal slot or recess and an inclined portion, the inclinedportions of said bolt and abutment member engaging each other when thebolt is projected to spread the bolt and abutment member apart, and aspring supported in the longitudinal slot or recess ot' the abutmentmember engaging the tongue on said bolt and tending to project said boltfrom said casing.

In testimony whereof I hereunto al'lix my signature.

FRANCIS M. VANDERVOOBT.

